Forgotten Elaine
by NoneofthisNonsence-Please
Summary: According to legend Elaine was Lancelot's mother, the mother of his son, the lady who died for his love. Elaine is also King Arthur's sister and the name of the Lady of the Lake.
1. Prolog Memories

_our first memory is of Papa._

he is holding you in his arms. he's wearing red. he is telling you that you have grown so much. he swings you around and puts you on his sholders. tells the old man that you look like you papa.

he loves you.

_your second memory is the first time you cried._

you are playing. the old man comes and tells you that Mama and you are leaving Papa.

your exited thinking that you will have a great adventure like that kind Papa has. then you learn your never coming back. PAPA DOESN'T WANT YOU.

you dimly recall Mama sitting down. She expected this and didn't tell you.

for awhile you hate her.

you hate the old man longer.

but you never stop hating Papa.

_your next memory is worse the your second yet the best one you have._

your running to/away you don't know but you run. when you can't stand and fight you run.

eventually you go back. it doesn't matter how far you run you always go back.

you only just enter when Grandfather hands you a bundle before turning back the bed your moth… don't think about it… you look down. a red quiet face looks up at you.

you name her Elaine.

she is your baby sister and you will protect her.

_your first memory is of Kay._

Your sitting on a rug in a field.

he stands tall above you arm outstretched. what he's saying you can't remember. he pulls you up and you walk.

while you understand that it probably wasn't the first time you walked, some part of you still believes that Kay gave you the freedom to walk.

just like he gave you everything else.

_your next clear memory is of realizing other families have Mamas and Fathers._

Cara has a father. Denny has a father and a mother. everyone has a mother and a father.

you run to Kay. he simply explains that Mama died when you were little and "we don't live with Papa anymore."

this memory would of probably faded like Kay's other explanations to the questions 'why do strawberries have seeds on the outside but apples seeds are on the inside?' 'why does the sun rise?' 'why are days called days?' 'where does the sky end?' ' why you have to take a bath?' 'why don't animals talk?' 'what would chairs look like it our knees bent the other way?' and the many other questions Kay claims you plagued him with, except later everyone tells you that your father is dead.

you accept this but always remember.

_your third memory is vague less of a memory and more of a feeling._

you where sick. you and Nana were very sick.

you were lying feverish has she tries desperately to teach you spells and incantations, tales and songs. magic.

later you try frantically to remember just one more spell. just one more incantation.

you might have forgotten, or dismissed it as a fevered dream. except only weeks after Nana passed… don't think about it… your running. it works for Kay. it never really worked for you. your running.

there's a bear.

You disappear.


	2. Prolog Family

**you have two sons.**

_Kay is your oldest. he is perfect._

You first held him minuets after his birth. he knew you as his father from the moment he was placed in your arms. his cries faded and he smiled.

you watched him grow. his first steps, early and sure. his first word 'Papa' clear and impatient.

he should've been a great king.

but a bastard can't be king. so you sent him away.

no one can replace him.

_Arthur is you heir. the people love him._

you never held him. You knelt at her bedside hours after she passed. Ignoring everyone He never cried.

he is brave and challenges you on everything. but behind his eyes you never know what he is thinking.

Camelot needed a Prince and you paid the ultimate price for him.

he is your greatest treasure.

**you have two children.**

_Kay is your son._

his birth was long and hard. without Gaius you would have died. as you lay there you see him for the first time in his father's arms.

as you lay their you know he will eventually be sent away.

but perhaps that is a good thing. he will escape his father fate. he will not be king.

just your son.

_Elaine is your daughter._

she is born in spring and without Gaius you die. You never even see her. Just your father handing her to your son.

a last gift/curse from her father. a beautiful girl. Even when she was in your womb you knew as she will be like your mother. what her father know hates. nothing is ever simple with him.

you did not see her life. but you don't need to. you know what she will be.

your daughter.

**you have two older brothers.**

_you know Kay._

all your earliest memories are of Kay, big strong Kay. he is old and serious with a temper that would scare you if it had ever been directed at you. solid.

he is your older brother

_you don't know his name_.

Kay once mentioned him. told you off him how important he is. You can't forget him though something tells you not to talk to Kay about him. Does he look like you or Kay?

he is your other brother


	3. Chapter 1

Elaine polished Kay's sword with a old rag while she waited for him to wake up.

It was the last day of the Tournament and they needed the money.

She was sitting comfortably on the doorstep of the inn they had slept at the night before. Dressed simply but well in leather trousers, cotton tunic, a shawl of sorts, sturdy boots, a hawking glove, her hat, and her mother's red scarf, she didn't mind the chill of the morning.

Blowing the stray light blonde hairs out of her eyes, she paused in her task and retied her hair back.

As she resumed her task, her thoughts continued to crash through her head.

"Why doesn't Kay like Camalot?"

"Will we be able to find bookshop to trade in the books I've already read for knew ones?"

"Were will we find a Blacksmith? Kay's armor needs touching up."

"Why doesn't Kay like the King? He may not be our king, but he seems to be a just King."

"When will I find the time to sneak out and practice? Someone will notice if Kay doesn't have a squire."

"Where were they going next?"

And most importantly, to her.

"Who was the adorable manservant to Prince Arthur?" She had spotted the tall dark haired man while she had been running an errand. But the question was more of an wish to know that an actual wish for action.

By now she had grown used to quiet crushes. No nice normal boy looked twice at an eleven year old. For that's what she looked like. The illusion she placed was strong, hiding her slim curves and creating the appearance of baby fat. While the Knights, Lords, and the others they encountered were sympathetic, willing to overlook conventions allowing a poor orphaned girl to be a squire for her older brother. The murmuring grew louder the closer Elaine grew to womanhood. And as Kay and Elaine had no other way of supporting themselves, the illusion stayed on as the constantly traveled.

It sometimes was fun to be eleven. Children could get away with things that sixteen year old girls simply could not.

Like asking impertinent questions.

Though it wasn't all fun, squires' jobs seemed endless, and sometimes pointless. Like how could a young boy, though in her case a girl, protect a knight in ways that he couldn't do himself?

Though she could protect Kay in a way that he couldn't do himself. Magic was a lot of fun when used t prank or rescue older brothers.

Her rambling thoughts were interrupted by Kay entering.

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

"Yes, Kay, right after I woke up." Elaine responds with a sigh. At time he protectiveness annoyed her, 'who forgets breakfast?'

"You ready for the tournament?" he asked.

"Yep, your armors ready, sword polished, and you're the third fight this mourning." She pause. To be tactful or not? "You'll be fighting the prince."

Kay pauses and turns, "your sure?" he asks without any inflection. Elaine has never seen him like this.

"I asked when I went to check the time." she responds slightly more exasperated.

Kay doesn't respond as he begins walking toward the tournament grounds. Elaine hurried to catch up as she placed the sword in the scabbard.

They quietly walked to the tournament grounds. Kay unreadable; Elaine back to thinking about the tall dark haired manservant.

The fight had only just begun when Elaine noticed something strange.

Kay wasn't fighting. Well, not like he normally fought.

He was fighting like how he fought when he taught Gawain. Fighting to teach. No one else noticed as the differences were subtle, but they were there.

'Why in the deuce would he want to teach a Prince?' thought Elaine, 'A Prince who probably had the best teacher money could by? And when we need the money!'

Sometime Elaine couldn't understand Kay.


End file.
